Category Archives: Lemon Alert

Algae Growing In Diesel Fuel Tanks

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With rising fuel costs, many consumers are turning to diesel vehicles for their better fuel economy. Most people who operate and maintain diesel engines are familiar with a black material seen in fuel filters or at the bottom of the tank, but many don’t realize that it is a growing “algae”. This organism inside the tank will lead to poor combustion, carbon buildup, and could end up costing the owner of the vehicle large amounts of money.

The algae is the result old fuel, and while the problem is often found in boat engines, automobiles are not immune. So what can be done to prevent the problem? There are additives you can use, but if it is not caught soon enough, it can still end up being costly to the consumer. Your best line of defense is being educated about the problem, and keeping up with regular maintenance.

Mercedes Benz Recalls M Class SUVs

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Mercedes Benz is recalling< almost 140,000 of their popular M-class sport utility vehicles for complaints involving the cruise control system. The recall covers the 2000-2002 M-class sport utility as well as the 2000-2004 M-class high performance models. According to the report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a problem with the brake lamp switch will not allow the cruise control to be disengaged when the brakes are applied.

Mercedes says it began looking into the problem in September after some customer complaints. Then in December the safety agency began its own investigation after receiving reports from consumers that there was a problem with the cruise control.

Mercedes will also be recalling some 2011 E-Class sedans and wagons because of a lack of adhesive between the vibration damper and a mass damper ring in the power train. The separation of these parts during operation could lead to serious injuries.

Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Mercedes Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

VW Recalls 2011 Jetta For Wiring Problems

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Volkswagen (VW) has issued a recall for certain 2011 Jetta cars, built between March 2010 to March 2011, for problems with the electrical wiring. According to VW, a fuse shared between the anti-theft alarm and the converter box could short circuit causing the light and wipers to stop working. Under the recall, dealerships will reconfigure the wiring so that each system has their own fuse. Any Jetta owners wanting more information on this recall can contact VW customer service at 1-800-822-8987

Volvo Recalls 2011 S40

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Volvo has issued a recall for certain 2011 S40 passenger cars for a problem that could affect the front structure of the vehicle. According to Volvo, a crack on the top side of the passenger side support member in the engine compartment may have developed during the forming process. In an accident, the crash performance of the vehicle could be reduced, increasing the risk of injury to passengers.

Dealers will inspect the S40 front structure for cracks and the vehicle will be taken out of service if a problem is found. A new replacement vehicle of equal specifications will be provided by Volvo. Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact the Volvo customer care center at 1-800-458-1552.

Kia Recalls 2006-2008 Optima Vehicles

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2006 2008 Kia Optima RecallKia has announced a recall that will have almost 70,000 Optima owners taking their vehicles in for repairs. The recall is over concerns that some of the shift cables were not assembled properly, allowing them to detach from the shift assembly dowel pin. The detached cable will prevent the transmission from being put in “park” even though the shift lever is in the “park” position. As a result, the vehicle could roll away causing damage and injury.

The vehicles involved in this recall are the 2006-2008 Optima vehicles built between September 2005 to June 2007. Kia will start notifying owners middle of March, where Dealers will inspect and reinstall the shift cable if necessary. Owners can contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542 for more information.

GMC Recalls Buick And Cadillac Vehicles

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General Motors has announced a recall for some 2011 Buick Lacross and 2011 Cadillac SRX vehicles for a problem with the windshield defrosting and defogging systems. The problem is being blamed on a bug with the Electronic Climate Control (ECC) module that may disable the ability for the driver to adjust the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The lack of ability to defrost the windows may decrease the drivers visibility and could result in an accident.

Recall notices will be sent out starting middle of March, which will have dealers reprogramming the defrost system free of charge to the customer. Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, or go to the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Toyota Recalls Vehicles For Tire Pressure Monitors

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Toyota will be recalling certain 2008-2011 truck’s and SUV’s for tire pressure monitoring and regulating systems that do not comply with the federal motor vehicle safety standards. The lack of proper calibration of the system may lead to the low tire pressure warning light not illuminating untill well below the minimum activation pressure. Operating the vehicle with low tire pressure will lead to improper wear of the tires and ultimately tire failure. The vehicles covered in this recall are:

Once owners have been notified of the recall, they can bring their vehicles to their dealership to have the tire pressure monitoring system re-initialized and calibrated. Anyone wanting more information can contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Suzuki Recalls Motorcycles For Regulators

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Suzuki is recalling certain 2008-2010 motorcycles for regulator/rectifier assemblies that were produced with insufficient adhesion between the power module circuit board and the rectifier case heat sink. Without proper adhesion, the power module could overheat causing the circuit board to deform and lift from the case. As a result, there could be insufficient charge to the battery. The part numbers of the rectifier assemblies being recalled are: 32800-41F11, 32800-15H10, 32800-05H11, 32800-41G10, 32800-15H00, 32800-18H00, 32800-05G10, 32800-10G10, 32800-05H20, OR 32800-06G01. These rectifiers have been installed on:

  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / AN400
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / DL1000
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / GSF1250
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / GSX-R600
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / GSX-R750
  • 2008 – SUZUKI / GSX1300B
  • 2008-2010 – SUZUKI / GSX1300R
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / GSX650F
  • 2009-2010 – SUZUKI / SFV650
  • 2008-2010 – SUZUKI / VL800
  • 2008-2009 – SUZUKI / VLR1800
  • 2009-2010 – SUZUKI / VZ1500

Suzuki will notify owners of the recall starting March 02, 2011. For more information contact Suzuki at 1-714-996-7040 or the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.